Reprogrammable array of selectable antenna elements for frequency adjustment
Reprogrammable antenna arrays for frequency adjustment are provided. In certain embodiments, a mobile device includes a front-end system including a plurality of radio frequency signal conditioning circuits, an antenna array including a plurality of selectable antenna elements, and a control circuit configured to provide a frequency adjustment to the antenna array by selecting a combination of the plurality of selectable antenna elements to connect to the plurality of radio frequency signal conditioning circuits.
1 . A mobile device comprising:
a front-end system including a plurality of radio frequency circuits partitioned into a plurality of groups including a first group and a second group, each radio frequency circuit of the first group including a power amplifier, a low noise amplifier, and a switch configured to select the power amplifier or the low noise amplifier, the front-end system further including a first radio frequency splitter having a single input and a plurality of outputs each connected to the switch of a corresponding radio frequency circuit of the first group;
a crossbar switch including a first output configured to provide a first radio frequency signal to the single input of the first radio frequency splitter;
an antenna array including a plurality of selectable antenna elements arranged in a rectangular grid; and
a control circuit configured to select a combination of the plurality of selectable antenna elements to connect to the plurality of radio frequency circuits, the control circuit configured to change an operating frequency of the antenna array from a first frequency band to a second frequency band by changing the combination of the plurality of selectable antenna elements from a first selected combination including all of the selectable antenna elements to a second selected combination including alternating antenna elements of the antenna array.
2 . The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to change the combination of the plurality of selectable antenna elements to a third selected combination along a diagonal of the antenna array.
3 . The mobile device of claim 2 wherein the diagonal is chosen from two more diagonals associated with a different antenna element spacing.
4 . The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the antenna elements are patch antenna elements.
5 . The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the first frequency band is in fifth generation frequency range two and the second frequency band is in fifth generation frequency range two.
6 . The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the first frequency band is n217 and the second frequency band is n263.
7 . The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the first frequency band is n258 and the second frequency band is n262.
8 . The mobile device of claim 1 further comprising a transceiver, the crossbar switch directly connected between the transceiver and the first radio frequency splitter.
9 . The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the transceiver includes a plurality of data conversion channels and the crossbar switch maps the plurality of data conversion channels to the plurality of radio frequency circuits, the plurality of data conversion channels each including a digital-to-analog converter and an analog-to-digital converter for providing data conversion.
10 . The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the plurality of data conversion channels are of a different number than the plurality of radio frequency circuits.
11 . The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of radio frequency circuits each further include a gain adjustment circuit and a phase adjustment circuit to control beamforming.
12 . The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the control circuit chooses both the combination of the plurality of selectable antenna elements and a plurality of beamforming settings of the plurality of radio frequency circuits.
13 . A method of signal communication in a mobile device, the method comprising:
wirelessly communicating using an antenna array that includes a plurality of selectable antenna elements arranged in a rectangular grid;
selecting a combination of the plurality of selectable antenna elements to connect to a plurality of radio frequency signal conditioning circuits that are partitioned into a plurality of groups including a first group and a second group, each radio frequency circuit of the first group including a power amplifier, a low noise amplifier, and a switch configured to select the power amplifier or the low noise amplifier;
providing a first radio frequency signal to a first radio frequency splitter from a first output of a crossbar switch, the first radio frequency splitter having a single input receiving the first radio frequency signal and a plurality of outputs each connected to the switch of a corresponding radio frequency circuit of the first group; and
changing an operating frequency of the antenna array from a first frequency band to a second frequency band by using the control circuit to change the combination of the plurality of selectable antenna elements from a first selected combination including all of the selectable antenna elements to a second selected combination including alternating antenna elements of the antenna array.
14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising using the control circuit to select a third selected combination corresponding to a row of antenna elements along a diagonal of the antenna array.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the diagonal is chosen from two more diagonals associated with a different antenna element spacing.
16 . A radio frequency module, the radio frequency module comprising:
a module substrate;
an antenna array including a plurality of selectable antenna elements attached to the module substrate and arranged in a rectangular grid; and
a semiconductor die attached to the module substrate, the semiconductor die including a plurality of radio frequency signal conditioning circuits partitioned into a plurality of groups including a first group and a second group, each radio frequency circuit of the first group including a power amplifier, a low noise amplifier, and a switch configured to select the power amplifier or the low noise amplifier, the semiconductor die further including a first radio frequency splitter having a single input and a plurality of outputs each connected to the switch of a corresponding radio frequency circuit of the first group, and a crossbar switch having a first output configured to provide a first radio frequency signal to the first radio frequency splitter, the semiconductor die further including a control circuit configured to select a combination of the plurality of selectable antenna elements to connect to the plurality of radio frequency circuits, the control circuit configured to change an operating frequency of the antenna array from a first frequency band to a second frequency band by changing the combination of the plurality of selectable antenna elements from a first selected combination including all of the selectable antenna elements to a second selected combination including alternating antenna elements of the antenna array.
17 . The radio frequency module of claim 16 wherein the control circuit is further configured to change the combination of the plurality of selectable antenna elements to a third selected combination along a diagonal of the antenna array.
18 . The radio frequency module of claim 17 wherein the diagonal is chosen from two more diagonals associated with a different antenna element spacing.
19 . The radio frequency module of claim 16 wherein the antenna elements are patch antenna elements.
20 . The radio frequency module of claim 16 wherein the semiconductor die further includes a transceiver, the crossbar switch directly connected between the transceiver and the first radio frequency splitter.